Audi looks to break the mould with premium SUV

Make:

Friday, December 02, 2011

Coming hot on the heels of last week’s review of the excellent Range Rover Evoque comes news of a major competitor — the all new Audi Q3, which is Audi’s first foray into the premium A SUV segment.

Orders for the third Q-model in the series will begin shortly and Audi says the Q3 will have the distinction of being its first SUV to offer the efficiency-focused option of a 54mpg front-wheel-drive variant — not unlike the Evoque.

Enquiries are being accepted now at Audi Ireland’s dealer network with first deliveries beginning in late November.

Pricing for the Q3 starts at €33,850 (€34,650 on the road) for the 2.0TDI 140 SE version, which is expected to account for the majority of orders.

Four engines will initially be available, all combining direct fuel injection with turbo charging and all backed up by start-stop and energy recuperation systems — the 2.0-litre TDI with 140 bhp and 177 bhp and the 2.0-litre TFSI petrol unit in 170 bhp and 211bhp forms.

The 2.0-litre TDI 140 bhp unit will power the front-wheel-drive model only at launch, with a quattro version joining the range early in 2012.

With emissions of just 137 g/km, the 2.0TDI 140 variant resides in tax band B, qualifying the purchaser for annual road tax of just €156 – or at least it will until the budget.

According to Andrew Doyle, managing director, Audi Ireland, the Q3 is a premium SUV offering all the benefits of Audi’s DNA in a more compact form.

“It is, of course, sporty, yet extremely efficient and versatile — a perfect mix of vehicle at the right time in the Irish market,” he said.

“The Q3 showcases Audi’s expertise in all aspects of engineering: from its lightweight body through strong and efficient drive trains and a dynamic chassis to its state-of-the-art assistance systems and multimedia systems. We are delighted to introduce the newest member of the highly successful Q family to the Irish market,” he said.

From a design perspective, the new Audi Q3 was, we are told, built to break the mould. With a long, broad body, coupe-like roofline and smooth, sweeping lines, it deliberately avoids the traditional ‘boxy’ look of an SUV.

With its low lean-forward stance and muscular, flared wheel arches, the Q3 has an abundance of sporty character.

Inside the Q3 there is seating for up to five adults, an accommodating load bay offering up to 1,365 litres of capacity thanks to split/folding rear seats, and an impressive level of standard equipment across the SE and S line specification levels.

The boot space offered in the Q3 (460 litres) is superior to that of all its main competitors underlining the practicality of Ingolstadt’s new premium offering.

Externally the SE version includes 17-inch alloy wheels, aluminium roof rails and rear parking sensors, and inside dual-zone climate control, a concert audio system with 6.5-inch retractable colour display screen, Bluetooth interface, Audi Music Interface (iPod connection) and multifunction leather steering wheel.

The Q3 will also come equipped with navigation preparation, enabling customers to ‘activate’ navigation retrospectively by purchasing an SD card if required.

For a premium of €3,300 above SE versions, the new Audi Q3 can be upgraded to the S line specification, which includes 18-inch alloy wheels, S line exterior and interior styling enhancements, and xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lamps and LED rear tail lights.

The Euro NCAP consortium has awarded the new Audi Q3 maximum 5-star rating for passive crash safety.